Abbreviations and symbols for the commonly occurring amino acids (Biochemistry 3rd Edition, Lippincott’s Illustrated Reviews).


Unique first letter

  • Cysteine Cys C
  • Histidine His H
  • Isoleucine Ile I
  • Methionine Met M
  • Serine Ser S
  • Valine Val V

Most commonly occurring amino acids have priority

  • Alanine Ala A
  • Glycine Gly G
  • Leucine Leu L
  • Proline Pro P
  • Threonine Thr T

Similar sounding names (and helpful memorizing aids)

  • Arginine Arg R (aRginine)
  • Asparagine Asn N (contains N)
  • Aspartate Asp D (asparDic)
  • Glutamate Glu E (glutEmate)
  • Glutamine Gln Q (Q-tamine)
  • Phenylalanine Phe F (Fenylalanine)
  • Tyrosine Tyr Y (tYrosine)
  • Tryptophan Trp W (tWyptophan – as Elmer Fudd would say)

Letter close to initial letter

  • Lysine Lys K
  • Aspartate or asparagine Asx B (near A)
  • Glutamate or glutamine Glx Z

- Adding a few more
1. The vital amino acids-
Pvt. MT Hill never tires- Proline, Valine, Threonine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine and Lysine.

Some versions have it as Pvt. Tim Hall always argues, never tires.- Same as above, with the following: A is always argnine, and T is threonine and tryptophan, never tyrosine.